I am Geno Amir Yzagani A.

Vidal, and this is my story– my journey

from dreams to reality, This is a challenge to me to finish my
studies.
I was born in a small province of Kalibo, Aklan on October 1, 2006
in the heart of the middle-class family with whom my father is a
noble driver and my mother is a Special Education Teacher. From
a young age, I was helping the poor people and the power of
word. My childhood memories were great with whom I have three
siblings and grew up with my supportive parents Genaro Macuno
Vidal and Irma Joy Rubia Advincula.
My educational journey was marked by both triumph and setback. and learned from all
of my subjects, I'll try to finish my studies, fueling my desire to graduate on time and to
help my family and our society.
My plans after completing my studies at Garcia College of Technology, Inc. is embarked
on a journey to pursue my dream of becoming a professional police officer and business
man. I know it will take a while I'm focused on my goal and I believe in myself that I
would do it.
Today, as I reflect on my journey, I am filled with gratitude for the opportunities that
have come my way. From publishing my first novel to inspiring others through my
words, each milestone has been a testament to the power of perseverance and
passion. Though the road ahead may be uncertain, I am ready to face whatever
challenges come my way, armed with the knowledge that with hard work and
determination, anything is possible

In writing my autobiography, I have come to realize that life is a tapestry of experiences,

woven together by the threads of our dreams and aspirations. Though my journey has
had its fair share of twists and turns, I am grateful for each moment, for it is through
adversity that we truly discover who we are meant to be. As I continue to write the next
chapter of my life, I do so with an open heart and a steadfast belief in the power of
storytelling to change the world
JOEM ANTONIO (Joachim Emilio B. Antonio) is a
teacher, writer, writing teacher, husband and father. He
received his M.A. in Humanities with Specialization in
History from the University of Asia and the Pacific
(UA&P), his Ph.D. in Creative Writing from the
University of the Philippines, Diliman (UP), and is
currently teaching graduate students at UA&P.
Joem has won eight Don Carlos Palanca Awards: The Domestic Problems of Good King
George (formerly entitled Gabrielle) for One-Act Play in English in 2006, Ang Ampalaya sa
Pinggan ni Peepo (The Bitter Gourd on Peepo’s Plate) for Short Story for Children in Filipino in
2007, Newspaper Dance for One-Act Play in English in 2008, Sa Tapat ng Tindahan ni Mang
Teban (In Front of Mang Teban’s Store) for Short Story for Children in Filipino in 2011, The
Dust in Your Place for One-Act Play in English in 2012, The Last Filipino for Full-length Play in
English in 2014, The Floret Road for Full-length Play in English in 2016,
and exesanonymous.com for Full-length Play in English in 2017.

He was also recognized as Best Playwright in Short + Sweet Manila 2014 for his entry, Death in
Ten Minutes, which also won Best Play and topped the Audience Poll for Week 1.

His plays have been staged in different high schools and universities. He also founded Compact
Shakespeare, which fuses his compact theatre philosophy with the Bard's works.

In 2021, his award-winning play, The Dust in Your Place, was adapted into a short film by David
Olson and his team at Cutaway Productions. The film made it as one of the 13 finalists in
Cinemalaya 17.

In 2022, Joem was a fellow in the 61st UP National Writers Workshop for his poetry
collection, Coffeeshop Nomads and Other Poems.

He also has a number of published children's books, namely Ang Ampalaya sa Pinggan ni
Peepo and Sa Tapat ng Tindahan ni Mang Teban under Lampara Books, and Narding Carpio
and the Monstrous Wall under Vibal Group's Chikiting Books. In 2020, Nestlé NIDO printed
three stories he wrote for the brand: Let's Make Pancakes!, Let's Play Outside!, and Let's Eat
Lunch! This was followed up in 2022 with Let's Get Up!, Let's Learn More!, Let's Work
Out! and Let's Eat Yummy! In addition, Joem wrote Beware the Snake, a children's book on
personal boundaries.

Through Storywriting School, Joem regularly conducts online writing workshops of his own
design, distinct from both the “great-writers” approach (which relies on the teacher heavily
criticizing the students’ work) and the “therapeutic” approach (which focuses merely on
proliferation). He believes in “writing by design,” wherein the writer is trained to anticipate and
predict a reader’s probable response to the text based on the writer’s understanding of reality and
language. The goal of his workshop is for the student writer to gain the ability to put ideas into
paper and to see how the choice and organization of language fulfills the writer’s objective.

Aside from creative writing, Joem is an enthusiast in varied fields of culture. He enjoys music,
poetry, film, books, plays, comics, drawing, sitcoms, stand-up comedy and game design. From
these, he applies whatever he can to his teaching profession.

As a teacher, Joem has taught different topics to different groups at different occasions. He has
taught history, literature, research, creative writing, theatre, and comics to kids, college students,
yuppies, senior citizens, and even inmates. Yes, Joem has taught, on occasion, in a correctional
facility.
He firmly believes that the success of a teacher is dependent on the success of the student and
that learning happens the most when a student is inspired to learn.

Joem currently resides in Manila, Philippines with his wife and his three kids.